By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kelcie-moseley-morris/">Kelcie Moseley-Morris</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>

The Trump administration has taken its first step toward restricting access to abortions for veterans who are covered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ medical benefits, reversing a<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-09-09/html/2022-19239.htm" target="_blank">&nbsp;2022 rule</a>.

Former Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration enacted the rule following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which ended federally protected access to abortion. More than a dozen states implemented abortion bans after that decision, and the policy was meant to preserve access to abortion for veterans in certain circumstances, regardless of where they lived. Veterans Affairs medical centers were allowed to provide abortions in cases of rape or incest, and when the life or health of the pregnant person was in jeopardy. Counseling about abortion was also permitted.

Under the proposal, nearly all abortions, except those to save a patient’s life, would be banned at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and would no longer be covered by VA medical benefits.

In<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/state-policies-abortion-bans" target="_blank">&nbsp;eight states with abortion bans</a>, there are no rape or incest exceptions, including Texas, Alabama and Oklahoma, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Five states with bans also don’t have an exception in cases where the pregnant person’s health is at risk, only to save their life.

The rule also applies to recipients of the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA), which provides coverage to veterans’ families, including children, along with caregivers of veterans.

Officials&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/04/2025-14687/reproductive-health-services#page-36416" target="_blank">wrote in the proposal</a>&nbsp;that the 2022 policy was enacted because the administration expected increased “demand” for abortion services, but the rule cited abortion bans in several states that created an environment of uncertainty for veterans who might need care.

The Department of Veterans Affairs provided 88 abortions in the first year after the rule went into place, 64 of which were performed because of a threat to the pregnant person’s health, according to VA data<a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/10/19/va-says-it-performed-88-abortions-past-year-congress-again-threatens-subpoenas-pursuit-of-more.html" target="_blank">&nbsp;reported by Military.com</a>.

Rescinding the rule was a directive in Project 2025, the blueprint document published by the conservative Heritage Foundation and co-authored by anti-abortion organizations such as Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. The first of what the document calls “needed reforms” calls for rescinding all department clinical policy directives that are “contrary to principles of conservative governance, starting with abortion services and gender reassignment surgery.”

“Neither aligns with service-connected conditions that would warrant VA’s providing this type of clinical care,” the Project 2025 document reads.

U.S. law already mandates that federal funding cannot be used for abortions except in cases of rape, incest and in certain medical circumstances. The administration argues the 2022 rule violated the “bright line between elective abortion and health care services” and should return to a policy that only allows abortion care to save the pregnant person’s life. Counseling about abortion options would no longer be permitted.

“Taken together, claims in the prior administrations rule that abortions throughout pregnancy are needed to save the lives of pregnant women are incorrect,” officials wrote in the proposed rule description. “Prior to September 9, 2022, abortions and abortion counseling were excluded from the medical benefits package, with no exceptions.”

According to estimates from nonprofit National Partnership for Women and Families, more than 400,000 women veterans lived in states that already had an abortion ban in place or were likely to ban it in 2023. That figure represents more than half of the women veterans in the country.

<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/04/2025-14687/reproductive-health-services#page-36416" target="_blank">Public comment</a>&nbsp;on the proposed rule will be accepted until Sept. 3.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754415459349.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kelcie-moseley-morris/">Kelcie Moseley-Morris</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>The Trump administration has taken its first step toward restricting access to abortions for veterans who are covered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ medical benefits, reversing a<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-09-09/html/2022-19239.htm" target="_blank">&nbsp;2022 rule</a>.Former Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration enacted the rule following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which ended federally protected access to abortion. More than a dozen states implemented abortion bans after that decision, and the policy was meant to preserve access to abortion for veterans in certain circumstances, regardless of where they lived. Veterans Affairs medical centers were allowed to provide abortions in cases of rape or incest, and when the life or health of the pregnant person was in jeopardy. Counseling about abortion was also permitted.Under the proposal, nearly all abortions, except those to save a patient’s life, would be banned at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and would no longer be covered by VA medical benefits.In<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/state-policies-abortion-bans" target="_blank">&nbsp;eight states with abortion bans</a>, there are no rape or incest exceptions, including Texas, Alabama and Oklahoma, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Five states with bans also don’t have an exception in cases where the pregnant person’s health is at risk, only to save their life.The rule also applies to recipients of the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA), which provides coverage to veterans’ families, including children, along with caregivers of veterans.Officials&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/04/2025-14687/reproductive-health-services#page-36416" target="_blank">wrote in the proposal</a>&nbsp;that the 2022 policy was enacted because the administration expected increased “demand” for abortion services, but the rule cited abortion bans in several states that created an environment of uncertainty for veterans who might need care.The Department of Veterans Affairs provided 88 abortions in the first year after the rule went into place, 64 of which were performed because of a threat to the pregnant person’s health, according to VA data<a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/10/19/va-says-it-performed-88-abortions-past-year-congress-again-threatens-subpoenas-pursuit-of-more.html" target="_blank">&nbsp;reported by Military.com</a>.Rescinding the rule was a directive in Project 2025, the blueprint document published by the conservative Heritage Foundation and co-authored by anti-abortion organizations such as Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. The first of what the document calls “needed reforms” calls for rescinding all department clinical policy directives that are “contrary to principles of conservative governance, starting with abortion services and gender reassignment surgery.”“Neither aligns with service-connected conditions that would warrant VA’s providing this type of clinical care,” the Project 2025 document reads.U.S. law already mandates that federal funding cannot be used for abortions except in cases of rape, incest and in certain medical circumstances. The administration argues the 2022 rule violated the “bright line between elective abortion and health care services” and should return to a policy that only allows abortion care to save the pregnant person’s life. Counseling about abortion options would no longer be permitted.“Taken together, claims in the prior administrations rule that abortions throughout pregnancy are needed to save the lives of pregnant women are incorrect,” officials wrote in the proposed rule description. “Prior to September 9, 2022, abortions and abortion counseling were excluded from the medical benefits package, with no exceptions.”According to estimates from nonprofit National Partnership for Women and Families, more than 400,000 women veterans lived in states that already had an abortion ban in place or were likely to ban it in 2023. That figure represents more than half of the women veterans in the country.<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/04/2025-14687/reproductive-health-services#page-36416" target="_blank">Public comment</a>&nbsp;on the proposed rule will be accepted until Sept. 3.&nbsp;

Trump admin. moves to end veterans’ abortion access in cases of rape, incest and health

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a weekend traffic stop.&nbsp;

Just after&nbsp;2p.m. on Saturday police conducted a traffic stop in the 500 block U.S.59 in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. A passenger in the vehicle, identified as 53-year-old Dwight Downing, was arrested on

outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court. During his arrest he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and marijuana, according to Wilson.&nbsp; Downing remains in custody.

Dwight A. Downing, Jr., 53, Atchison, was arrested on Saturday on District and Municipal Court warrants for failure to appear in court. Also charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana. Taken to County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754320137120.png" alt="Downing photo Atchison County." />
 <figcaption>Downing photo Atchison County.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a weekend traffic stop.&nbsp;Just after&nbsp;2p.m. on Saturday police conducted a traffic stop in the 500 block U.S.59 in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. A passenger in the vehicle, identified as 53-year-old Dwight Downing, was arrested onoutstanding warrants for failure to appear in court. During his arrest he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and marijuana, according to Wilson.&nbsp; Downing remains in custody.Dwight A. Downing, Jr., 53, Atchison, was arrested on Saturday on District and Municipal Court warrants for failure to appear in court. Also charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana. Taken to County Jail.

Police: Kan. man accused of skipping court, drug possession

The hot topic during this Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp at Missouri Western State University has been the battle along the offensive line 

With guys shifting to every position to find the best five along the line, players like Josh Simmons, Jaylon Moore, and Jawaan Taylor are competing every day for their spot.  

Taylor, who recently returned from the physically unable to perform list after an offseason knee procedure, says the competition is going well 

"Everyone's moving around, trying different positions and stuff like that, doing what Coach Heck is asking us to do," Taylor tells reporters after practice.  "And everyone's just trying to get better as a unit and be a better O-Line for sure." 

To find the best five guys to start week one, head coach Andy Reid and offensive line coach Andy Heck have players moving all across the offensive line, some in positions they may have not played much in their careers.

Like newly signed lineman Jaylon Moore, whose been working out at guard despite playing tackle for most of his career in San Francisco.  But Moore says while it's new, it's still just football 

"The biggest thing is just keep trying to take steps forward, keep trying to improve looking at the film and try to improve every day," Moore says. 

Moore has been competing with Mike Caliendo and Kingsley Suamataia to replace Joe Thuney at left guard, while also competing with rookie Josh Simmons at left tackle.  He's also rotated with Jawaan Taylor at right tackle.  

This year's NFL Draft brought an impressive crop of rookies to the Chiefs, many that have quickly become fan favorites during Chiefs Training Camp 

One of those is fourth round pick wide receiver Jalen Royals, whose impressed fans with his pass catching and route running ability for Patrick Mahomes.

Royals says he's been soaking in a lot of knowledge from his veteran quarterback 

"In the meeting room he tells me everything I need to do and then off the meetings and stuff like that where I'm just out here he'll tell me corrections and stuff like that," Royals says.  "And obviously after the play he'll let me know on the sidelines." 

Royals has built a good rapport with Mahomes, and could make a pretty immediate impact in the offense with the pending suspension to Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown currently injured with an ankle injury

The Chiefs practiced again for just over two hours today, this time in shorts and out of pads.  They are off on Monday, and back to practice on Tuesday at 9:15.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754246656084.jpeg" alt="The Chiefs offensive line works hard at Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp. The offensive line battle has been a huge focus of this year's camp in St. Joseph/ Photo by Justin Peacock" />
 <figcaption>The Chiefs offensive line works hard at Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp. The offensive line battle has been a huge focus of this year's camp in St. Joseph/ Photo by Justin Peacock</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE The hot topic during this Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp at Missouri Western State University has been the battle along the offensive line With guys shifting to every position to find the best five along the line, players like Josh Simmons, Jaylon Moore, and Jawaan Taylor are competing every day for their spot. Taylor, who recently returned from the physically unable to perform list after an offseason knee procedure, says the competition is going well "Everyone's moving around, trying different positions and stuff like that, doing what Coach Heck is asking us to do," Taylor tells reporters after practice. "And everyone's just trying to get better as a unit and be a better O-Line for sure." To find the best five guys to start week one, head coach Andy Reid and offensive line coach Andy Heck have players moving all across the offensive line, some in positions they may have not played much in their careers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754246290245.jpeg" alt="Offensive tackle Jaylon Moore (77) walks down the hill alongside fellow offensive lineman Chukwuebuka Godrick (72) and rookie Josh Simmons (71)/ Photo by Alexis Starks" />
 <figcaption>Offensive tackle Jaylon Moore (77) walks down the hill alongside fellow offensive lineman Chukwuebuka Godrick (72) and rookie Josh Simmons (71)/ Photo by Alexis Starks</figcaption>
 </figure>Like newly signed lineman Jaylon Moore, whose been working out at guard despite playing tackle for most of his career in San Francisco. But Moore says while it's new, it's still just football "The biggest thing is just keep trying to take steps forward, keep trying to improve looking at the film and try to improve every day," Moore says. Moore has been competing with Mike Caliendo and Kingsley Suamataia to replace Joe Thuney at left guard, while also competing with rookie Josh Simmons at left tackle. He's also rotated with Jawaan Taylor at right tackle. This year's NFL Draft brought an impressive crop of rookies to the Chiefs, many that have quickly become fan favorites during Chiefs Training Camp One of those is fourth round pick wide receiver Jalen Royals, whose impressed fans with his pass catching and route running ability for Patrick Mahomes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754245545125.jpeg" alt="Rookie Jalen Royals goes up for a catch during Chiefs Training Camp/ Photo by Justin Peacock" />
 <figcaption>Rookie Jalen Royals goes up for a catch during Chiefs Training Camp/ Photo by Justin Peacock</figcaption>
 </figure>Royals says he's been soaking in a lot of knowledge from his veteran quarterback "In the meeting room he tells me everything I need to do and then off the meetings and stuff like that where I'm just out here he'll tell me corrections and stuff like that," Royals says. "And obviously after the play he'll let me know on the sidelines." Royals has built a good rapport with Mahomes, and could make a pretty immediate impact in the offense with the pending suspension to Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown currently injured with an ankle injury<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754245681052.jpeg" alt="Jalen Royals (11) goes for a catch during Chiefs Training Camp/ Photo by Justin Peacock" />
 <figcaption>Jalen Royals (11) goes for a catch during Chiefs Training Camp/ Photo by Justin Peacock</figcaption>
 </figure>The Chiefs practiced again for just over two hours today, this time in shorts and out of pads. They are off on Monday, and back to practice on Tuesday at 9:15.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

O-Line battle remains hot topic during Chiefs Training Camp

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/suzanneking/">Suzanne King</a>

Dr. Marvin Singleton, a Republican who spent 13 years as a Missouri state senator, worries about many of the policies he sees coming out of Washington D.C. these days.

Of course, the retired ear, nose and throat doctor is concerned about federal cuts to Medicaid spending, which could leave millions of Americans without insurance and strain hospitals, nursing homes and home-based care programs that senior citizens rely on.

But Singleton, 85, who now lives in a retirement community in Overland Park and was recently elected to the Kansas Silver-Haired Legislature, is also concerned about cuts to food assistance programs and economic policies like tariffs and tax cuts that he fears will push up prices.

“Everything has ramifications on aging individuals,” he said, “and those individuals who are on fixed incomes get hurt the worst.”

Singleton is not alone. Many advocates working to help senior citizens in the Kansas City area worry, too. A growing population of older low-income adults, they said, already struggles to find health care, pay rent and afford food.

In Missouri,&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/seniors/masterplanaging/doc/MAP-Counties/2025/county-fact-sheets-116.pdf" target="_blank">almost 10%</a>&nbsp;of the state’s 1.1 million residents 65 years old or older live below the poverty level and 22% receive food assistance. In Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansashealthmatters.org/indicators/index/view?indicatorId=343&amp;localeId=19" target="_blank">8.5% of the state’s 510,000 seniors</a>&nbsp;live below the poverty level.

“We do not have the infrastructure to meet the needs of the region’s aging population at this moment,” said Jeron Ravin, president and CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://swopehealth.org/" target="_blank">Swope Health</a>, a safety-net health clinic in Kansas City that has made improving that infrastructure one of its priorities.

And that’s the situation before provisions in new federal legislation, President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” go into effect.

That legislation will cut&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/allocating-cbos-estimates-of-federal-medicaid-spending-reductions-across-the-states-enacted-reconciliation-package/" target="_blank">$911 billion in spending on Medicaid</a>&nbsp;over the next decade and trim $300 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), causing an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/snap-changes-trump-bill-adds-new-burdens-millions-women-study-2105160" target="_blank">22 million households</a>&nbsp;to lose all or part of their food assistance.

All of that will hurt low-income seniors and the long-term care facilities, health care providers and community organizations that they rely on, senior advocates said.

“We’re in crisis now,” said Janet Baker, executive director of&nbsp;<a href="https://kcshepherdscenter.org/" target="_blank">KC Shepherd’s Center</a>, which provides meals and other support to older, mainly low-income adults. “We can’t meet the need that we already have, and that need is just going to grow.”

In both Missouri and Kansas, older adults make up a growing portion of the populations.

A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/seniors/masterplanaging/pdf/2024-mo-needs-assessment.pdf" target="_blank">survey</a>&nbsp;of older Missourians found that almost one-third of respondents couldn’t access the health care they needed, often because it cost too much or they couldn’t find a provider in their area. And at least three in 10 said they didn’t have enough money to afford healthy meals.

“We’ve seen this coming for a long time based on demographics and population shift,” said Rachel Ohlhausen, director of program partnerships with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jfskc.org/" target="_blank">Jewish Family Services</a>, “and we haven’t seen federal dollar investments that match.”

In fact, since Trump returned to office in January, the opposite has happened.

Funding has been slashed for safety-net programs like Meals on Wheels and transportation services to help older adults get to the doctor or the grocery store. Area agencies like KC Shepherd’s Center and Jewish Family Services have been forced to turn down requests for help from seniors and their families.

Food pantries and meal sites, meanwhile, also are struggling to help food-insecure seniors as federal food aid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture also experiences&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/03/kc-food-pantries-brace-for-cuts-to-snap-benefits-as-need-grows/" target="_blank">steep cuts</a>. And affordable housing for seniors is a growing need.

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, people 50 years or older represent&nbsp;<a href="https://endhomelessness.org/blog/paint-by-numbers-older-americans-and-homelessness/" target="_blank">the fastest-growing group</a>&nbsp;experiencing homelessness. The organization predicts that that group will triple in size by 2030.

In Kansas City, Swope Health will break ground Aug. 7 on a development at 5900 Swope Parkway designed to include 200 units of senior affordable housing, along with senior health and dental clinics.

But Ravin said plans for the project, called Swope Health Village, may be curtailed by federal funding cuts, which will likely take money away from community health clinics like Swope by reducing the number of patients covered by Medicaid and potentially increasing the number who need free care.

In addition, he said, the donations required to complete future phases of the project will be harder to come by.

“The question is, due to these cuts, will the project, instead of being completed within five years, take 10 years or 15 years?” Ravin said. “All safety-net providers are likely to be less financially secure. Philanthropy is going to have more of us asking them for support than ever. And, you know, the well is only so big.”

Across the spectrum, health providers are expecting to feel the effect of cuts to Medicaid funding.

The new federal law will reduce the number of people who can receive Medicaid, the government-funded health insurance program, by adding&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/25/missouri-work-requirements-medicaid-mo-healthnet/" target="_blank">work requirements</a>&nbsp;and more frequent eligibility checks. Some of those requirements could be especially burdensome for seniors, advocates said.

The law also shifts more of the program’s costs, which have always been jointly funded by state and federal taxes, to states. Finding those dollars in Missouri and Kansas will probably be difficult.

In addition to federally qualified health clinics like Swope that rely heavily on revenue from patients covered by Medicaid, safety-net hospitals&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/09/kansas-city-missouri-medicaid-trump-budget/" target="_blank">like University Health</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City expect to lose revenue. And so will long-term care facilities like nursing homes, which already have faced headwinds in recent years.

Medicaid covers 65% of residents in Missouri nursing homes and 58% in Kansas nursing homes.

During the COVID pandemic, long-term care facilities became ground zero for deaths because the virus so easily spread in close quarters and residents’ health and age made them more vulnerable.

Many patients moved out of the facilities as well, resulting in empty beds and, in some cases, closed doors.

Kansas once had at least one skilled nursing home option in all 105 counties in the state. Now nine counties have none, said Linda MowBray, president and CEO of the Kansas Health Care Association and Kansas Center for Assisted Living, which represents long-term care facilities in the state.

MowBray praised the Kansas legislature for adding funding to the Medicaid program to increase reimbursement rates for long-term care facilities. But reimbursements still don’t meet the actual cost, she said, and many facilities continue to struggle financially. The new federal law won’t help, she said.

Most concerning to her members, MowBray said, is a reduction in the amount of time people have to qualify for Medicaid coverage once they’ve moved into a long-term care facility.

Currently, if a person enters with a Medicaid application pending, they get 90 days to complete the cumbersome process. The facility will be reimbursed for the time the patient’s application was pending as long as approval comes within that 90-day window.

But the new law shortens that window to 60 days, which may not be long enough for many older patients to complete the process, MowBray said. That means nursing homes won’t be reimbursed for all of the days that the application process requires.

“This will force providers to take a serious look at how much risk they can take,” MowBray said.

Some small facilities may not be able to afford the risk, she said.

“The concern is … where are these people going to go?” MowBray said. “Are they just parked in the hospital while the application is going through? And if it doesn’t go through, and they’re beyond 60 days and the hospital doesn’t get paid, that’s an even bigger bill that’s going to have to get written off.”

Marie Dunham, an owner of Blue Hills Rest Home in Independence, is not ready to panic. After four decades in this business, she said, she’s seen this play out before when people have worried about government benefits being reduced but then everything turned out to be fine.

“Every time we get a new president, a new governor, everybody always gets this fear factor,” Dunham said. “Everybody needs to take a big breath.”

Blue Hills, an assisted living facility, serves senior citizens and people with disabilities. The vast majority of them receive Medicaid. Dunham doesn’t believe the state of Missouri will abandon this population.

“There’s got to be homes to take care of our people — our elderly and disabled,” Dunham said. “They’re not going to put our people out on the streets.”

Baker, who, in addition to her role with KC Shepherd’s Center, serves in Missouri’s Silver-Haired Legislature, is less optimistic. She expects to see more nursing homes close and more seniors left at greater risk.

“More hunger, more hardship and more homeless seniors,” she said. “I don’t believe the state is prepared from the standpoint that senior services are inadequately funded in the first place.”

Low-income older adults will almost certainly feel the ripple effects that follow cuts to federal funding, health leaders said. Even before those cuts passed Congress, states were expecting increased needs among the growing senior population. And both Missouri and Kansas have been planning.

In 2023, then-Missouri Gov. Mike Parson launched a study to develop a&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/seniors/masterplanaging/#:~:text=Currently%2C%20there%20are%20more%20than,as%20well%20as%20family%20caregivers." target="_blank">master plan on aging</a>&nbsp;for the state. Officials are holding town hall meetings across the state before the report is finalized later this year. A Kansas City event is scheduled at 9 a.m. Aug. 1 at the Kauffman Foundation at 4801 Rockhill Road.

And the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services has drafted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdads.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/4657/638802987796430000" target="_blank">state plan on aging</a>&nbsp;that makes several recommendations for improving care for older Kansans.

Now the question becomes whether the current political landscape will allow priorities laid out in the state plans to be implemented. Observers fear that fiscal and political realities make that unlikely.

Missouri has shifted its own tax policy, including eliminating the state’s capital gains tax earlier this year, which will mean less tax revenue coming in. And federal changes to Medicaid and SNAP will force both states to carry a greater portion of the costs of those programs, meaning less money for other priorities.

Stacy Morse, executive director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.missouricouncilonaging.org/" target="_blank">Missouri Council on Aging</a>, said she hopes state legislators will understand that priorities included in the master plan on aging, which her organization supports, are recommendations from people around the state.

After tax cuts, “it’s going to be really hard … to fund these services and support that people across Missouri are saying they need,” Morse said. “There’s a complete disconnect between what we want and what Missouri is willing to pay for.”

Even if big financial investments are not possible in the current environment, small changes could still help, said Mindy Ulstad, who has led the master plan process from her post with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

For example, the master plan will recommend that the state work on a “no wrong door” policy for seniors in the state, so one call to a single agency will let them get all their questions answered. And the state can work on outreach, so seniors have a better idea of what services are available to help them.

“There may be things that are harder to enact over the next few years,” she said. But the state can work on “getting information out about what’s available and helping people navigate those systems.”

Ulstad also said that the information gathered during the process of writing the master plan will be available to local governments and community organizations so they can learn from it and perhaps implement some of its recommendations.

“We are letting people know that the plan will be out there and they can use it for their own strategic planning,” she said.

Increasingly, support for older adult services is falling to county taxpayers. In November, for example, Jackson County&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/11/05/election-results-jackson-county-approves-tax-for-senior-services/" target="_blank">voters passed</a>&nbsp;a tax levy that will raise $8 million annually to support senior services beginning sometime next year. Across the state, 55 other counties have similar taxes.

But as state legislators look at limiting property taxes, Morse fears that this source of revenue could be at risk, too. In testimony before a Missouri House committee on the issue, she urged legislators to remember that those taxes are helping seniors.

“We recognize that there is this need to reduce the property tax burden,” she said. “Also that the assessments may have increased too quickly, and it took a lot of people by surprise. But what we want to remind you is that the property taxes are providing really necessary services. For the older adults, it’s helping them age in place.”

More patients are likely to need support to stay at home. Many people can’t afford long-term care or would prefer to be in a familiar place.

Swope Health started a program a year ago called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pacekc.org/" target="_blank">PACE KC</a>, which relies on Medicaid and Medicare payments to provide health care and social support like transportation to Jackson County residents who are 55 or older.

But the reality is that more people will need more help, especially after federal and state cuts are absorbed.

“It will get worse before it gets better,” Ohlhausen said, “and my hope is that we learn and we really try to hold on to what we want to build back on the other side.”

She is also still holding out hope that lawmakers will reconsider and reverse some of the funding cuts before they take effect.

“I don’t know if that’s possible, but whatever is possible should be pursued.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/31/missouri-and-kansas-seniors-brace-for-fallout-from-medicaid-snap-cuts/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754213950217.png" alt=" Dr. Marvin Singleton, a former Republican member of the Missouri legislature, stepped back into politics because he is worried about seniors (Suzanne King/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption> Dr. Marvin Singleton, a former Republican member of the Missouri legislature, stepped back into politics because he is worried about seniors (Suzanne King/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/suzanneking/">Suzanne King</a>Dr. Marvin Singleton, a Republican who spent 13 years as a Missouri state senator, worries about many of the policies he sees coming out of Washington D.C. these days.Of course, the retired ear, nose and throat doctor is concerned about federal cuts to Medicaid spending, which could leave millions of Americans without insurance and strain hospitals, nursing homes and home-based care programs that senior citizens rely on.But Singleton, 85, who now lives in a retirement community in Overland Park and was recently elected to the Kansas Silver-Haired Legislature, is also concerned about cuts to food assistance programs and economic policies like tariffs and tax cuts that he fears will push up prices.“Everything has ramifications on aging individuals,” he said, “and those individuals who are on fixed incomes get hurt the worst.”Singleton is not alone. Many advocates working to help senior citizens in the Kansas City area worry, too. A growing population of older low-income adults, they said, already struggles to find health care, pay rent and afford food.In Missouri,&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/seniors/masterplanaging/doc/MAP-Counties/2025/county-fact-sheets-116.pdf" target="_blank">almost 10%</a>&nbsp;of the state’s 1.1 million residents 65 years old or older live below the poverty level and 22% receive food assistance. In Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansashealthmatters.org/indicators/index/view?indicatorId=343&amp;localeId=19" target="_blank">8.5% of the state’s 510,000 seniors</a>&nbsp;live below the poverty level.“We do not have the infrastructure to meet the needs of the region’s aging population at this moment,” said Jeron Ravin, president and CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://swopehealth.org/" target="_blank">Swope Health</a>, a safety-net health clinic in Kansas City that has made improving that infrastructure one of its priorities.And that’s the situation before provisions in new federal legislation, President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” go into effect.That legislation will cut&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/allocating-cbos-estimates-of-federal-medicaid-spending-reductions-across-the-states-enacted-reconciliation-package/" target="_blank">$911 billion in spending on Medicaid</a>&nbsp;over the next decade and trim $300 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), causing an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/snap-changes-trump-bill-adds-new-burdens-millions-women-study-2105160" target="_blank">22 million households</a>&nbsp;to lose all or part of their food assistance.All of that will hurt low-income seniors and the long-term care facilities, health care providers and community organizations that they rely on, senior advocates said.“We’re in crisis now,” said Janet Baker, executive director of&nbsp;<a href="https://kcshepherdscenter.org/" target="_blank">KC Shepherd’s Center</a>, which provides meals and other support to older, mainly low-income adults. “We can’t meet the need that we already have, and that need is just going to grow.”<h2>Growing older populations</h2>In both Missouri and Kansas, older adults make up a growing portion of the populations.A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/seniors/masterplanaging/pdf/2024-mo-needs-assessment.pdf" target="_blank">survey</a>&nbsp;of older Missourians found that almost one-third of respondents couldn’t access the health care they needed, often because it cost too much or they couldn’t find a provider in their area. And at least three in 10 said they didn’t have enough money to afford healthy meals.“We’ve seen this coming for a long time based on demographics and population shift,” said Rachel Ohlhausen, director of program partnerships with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jfskc.org/" target="_blank">Jewish Family Services</a>, “and we haven’t seen federal dollar investments that match.”In fact, since Trump returned to office in January, the opposite has happened.Funding has been slashed for safety-net programs like Meals on Wheels and transportation services to help older adults get to the doctor or the grocery store. Area agencies like KC Shepherd’s Center and Jewish Family Services have been forced to turn down requests for help from seniors and their families.Food pantries and meal sites, meanwhile, also are struggling to help food-insecure seniors as federal food aid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture also experiences&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/03/kc-food-pantries-brace-for-cuts-to-snap-benefits-as-need-grows/" target="_blank">steep cuts</a>. And affordable housing for seniors is a growing need.According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, people 50 years or older represent&nbsp;<a href="https://endhomelessness.org/blog/paint-by-numbers-older-americans-and-homelessness/" target="_blank">the fastest-growing group</a>&nbsp;experiencing homelessness. The organization predicts that that group will triple in size by 2030.In Kansas City, Swope Health will break ground Aug. 7 on a development at 5900 Swope Parkway designed to include 200 units of senior affordable housing, along with senior health and dental clinics.But Ravin said plans for the project, called Swope Health Village, may be curtailed by federal funding cuts, which will likely take money away from community health clinics like Swope by reducing the number of patients covered by Medicaid and potentially increasing the number who need free care.In addition, he said, the donations required to complete future phases of the project will be harder to come by.“The question is, due to these cuts, will the project, instead of being completed within five years, take 10 years or 15 years?” Ravin said. “All safety-net providers are likely to be less financially secure. Philanthropy is going to have more of us asking them for support than ever. And, you know, the well is only so big.”<h2>Impact on care for seniors</h2>Across the spectrum, health providers are expecting to feel the effect of cuts to Medicaid funding.The new federal law will reduce the number of people who can receive Medicaid, the government-funded health insurance program, by adding&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/25/missouri-work-requirements-medicaid-mo-healthnet/" target="_blank">work requirements</a>&nbsp;and more frequent eligibility checks. Some of those requirements could be especially burdensome for seniors, advocates said.The law also shifts more of the program’s costs, which have always been jointly funded by state and federal taxes, to states. Finding those dollars in Missouri and Kansas will probably be difficult.In addition to federally qualified health clinics like Swope that rely heavily on revenue from patients covered by Medicaid, safety-net hospitals&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/09/kansas-city-missouri-medicaid-trump-budget/" target="_blank">like University Health</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City expect to lose revenue. And so will long-term care facilities like nursing homes, which already have faced headwinds in recent years.Medicaid covers 65% of residents in Missouri nursing homes and 58% in Kansas nursing homes.During the COVID pandemic, long-term care facilities became ground zero for deaths because the virus so easily spread in close quarters and residents’ health and age made them more vulnerable.Many patients moved out of the facilities as well, resulting in empty beds and, in some cases, closed doors.Kansas once had at least one skilled nursing home option in all 105 counties in the state. Now nine counties have none, said Linda MowBray, president and CEO of the Kansas Health Care Association and Kansas Center for Assisted Living, which represents long-term care facilities in the state.MowBray praised the Kansas legislature for adding funding to the Medicaid program to increase reimbursement rates for long-term care facilities. But reimbursements still don’t meet the actual cost, she said, and many facilities continue to struggle financially. The new federal law won’t help, she said.Most concerning to her members, MowBray said, is a reduction in the amount of time people have to qualify for Medicaid coverage once they’ve moved into a long-term care facility.Currently, if a person enters with a Medicaid application pending, they get 90 days to complete the cumbersome process. The facility will be reimbursed for the time the patient’s application was pending as long as approval comes within that 90-day window.But the new law shortens that window to 60 days, which may not be long enough for many older patients to complete the process, MowBray said. That means nursing homes won’t be reimbursed for all of the days that the application process requires.“This will force providers to take a serious look at how much risk they can take,” MowBray said.Some small facilities may not be able to afford the risk, she said.“The concern is … where are these people going to go?” MowBray said. “Are they just parked in the hospital while the application is going through? And if it doesn’t go through, and they’re beyond 60 days and the hospital doesn’t get paid, that’s an even bigger bill that’s going to have to get written off.”Marie Dunham, an owner of Blue Hills Rest Home in Independence, is not ready to panic. After four decades in this business, she said, she’s seen this play out before when people have worried about government benefits being reduced but then everything turned out to be fine.“Every time we get a new president, a new governor, everybody always gets this fear factor,” Dunham said. “Everybody needs to take a big breath.”Blue Hills, an assisted living facility, serves senior citizens and people with disabilities. The vast majority of them receive Medicaid. Dunham doesn’t believe the state of Missouri will abandon this population.“There’s got to be homes to take care of our people — our elderly and disabled,” Dunham said. “They’re not going to put our people out on the streets.”<h2>Ripple effects</h2>Baker, who, in addition to her role with KC Shepherd’s Center, serves in Missouri’s Silver-Haired Legislature, is less optimistic. She expects to see more nursing homes close and more seniors left at greater risk.“More hunger, more hardship and more homeless seniors,” she said. “I don’t believe the state is prepared from the standpoint that senior services are inadequately funded in the first place.”Low-income older adults will almost certainly feel the ripple effects that follow cuts to federal funding, health leaders said. Even before those cuts passed Congress, states were expecting increased needs among the growing senior population. And both Missouri and Kansas have been planning.In 2023, then-Missouri Gov. Mike Parson launched a study to develop a&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/seniors/masterplanaging/#:~:text=Currently%2C%20there%20are%20more%20than,as%20well%20as%20family%20caregivers." target="_blank">master plan on aging</a>&nbsp;for the state. Officials are holding town hall meetings across the state before the report is finalized later this year. A Kansas City event is scheduled at 9 a.m. Aug. 1 at the Kauffman Foundation at 4801 Rockhill Road.And the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services has drafted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdads.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/4657/638802987796430000" target="_blank">state plan on aging</a>&nbsp;that makes several recommendations for improving care for older Kansans.Now the question becomes whether the current political landscape will allow priorities laid out in the state plans to be implemented. Observers fear that fiscal and political realities make that unlikely.Missouri has shifted its own tax policy, including eliminating the state’s capital gains tax earlier this year, which will mean less tax revenue coming in. And federal changes to Medicaid and SNAP will force both states to carry a greater portion of the costs of those programs, meaning less money for other priorities.Stacy Morse, executive director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.missouricouncilonaging.org/" target="_blank">Missouri Council on Aging</a>, said she hopes state legislators will understand that priorities included in the master plan on aging, which her organization supports, are recommendations from people around the state.After tax cuts, “it’s going to be really hard … to fund these services and support that people across Missouri are saying they need,” Morse said. “There’s a complete disconnect between what we want and what Missouri is willing to pay for.”Even if big financial investments are not possible in the current environment, small changes could still help, said Mindy Ulstad, who has led the master plan process from her post with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.For example, the master plan will recommend that the state work on a “no wrong door” policy for seniors in the state, so one call to a single agency will let them get all their questions answered. And the state can work on outreach, so seniors have a better idea of what services are available to help them.“There may be things that are harder to enact over the next few years,” she said. But the state can work on “getting information out about what’s available and helping people navigate those systems.”Ulstad also said that the information gathered during the process of writing the master plan will be available to local governments and community organizations so they can learn from it and perhaps implement some of its recommendations.“We are letting people know that the plan will be out there and they can use it for their own strategic planning,” she said.Increasingly, support for older adult services is falling to county taxpayers. In November, for example, Jackson County&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/11/05/election-results-jackson-county-approves-tax-for-senior-services/" target="_blank">voters passed</a>&nbsp;a tax levy that will raise $8 million annually to support senior services beginning sometime next year. Across the state, 55 other counties have similar taxes.But as state legislators look at limiting property taxes, Morse fears that this source of revenue could be at risk, too. In testimony before a Missouri House committee on the issue, she urged legislators to remember that those taxes are helping seniors.“We recognize that there is this need to reduce the property tax burden,” she said. “Also that the assessments may have increased too quickly, and it took a lot of people by surprise. But what we want to remind you is that the property taxes are providing really necessary services. For the older adults, it’s helping them age in place.”More patients are likely to need support to stay at home. Many people can’t afford long-term care or would prefer to be in a familiar place.Swope Health started a program a year ago called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pacekc.org/" target="_blank">PACE KC</a>, which relies on Medicaid and Medicare payments to provide health care and social support like transportation to Jackson County residents who are 55 or older.But the reality is that more people will need more help, especially after federal and state cuts are absorbed.“It will get worse before it gets better,” Ohlhausen said, “and my hope is that we learn and we really try to hold on to what we want to build back on the other side.”She is also still holding out hope that lawmakers will reconsider and reverse some of the funding cuts before they take effect.“I don’t know if that’s possible, but whatever is possible should be pursued.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/31/missouri-and-kansas-seniors-brace-for-fallout-from-medicaid-snap-cuts/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

Federal cuts to Medicaid, food aid will make low-income seniors in Missouri more vulnerable

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before noon Saturday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Jeep Cherokee driven by a 29-year-old Savannah man was southbound on Route D one mile north of Avenue City. The Jeep traveled off the west side of the road and the driver overcorrected. The vehicle returned to the road, crossed the center of the road, traveled off the east side of the road, struck an embankment and overturned.

A private vehicle transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releaes names of accident victims.

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before noon Saturday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Jeep Cherokee driven by a 29-year-old Savannah man was southbound on Route D one mile north of Avenue City. The Jeep traveled off the west side of the road and the driver overcorrected. The vehicle returned to the road, crossed the center of the road, traveled off the east side of the road, struck an embankment and overturned.A private vehicle transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releaes names of accident victims.

Mo. man hospitalized after Jeep strikes embankment, overtuerns

With one week until their first preseason game, the Kansas City Chiefs were back at practice on Saturday continuing to prepare for the Arizona Cardinals.  

Ahead of the first preseason game, Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub says there's a checklist of things to prepare for, wanting to be ready for every situation 

"We go over it and we go over it, and we have a lot of walkthroughs in the afternoon where you don't see us working on hands team or onside kick, all those different scenarios, and there's thousands of them on special teams, we have to be sure we're on those," Toub tells reporters following practice.  "And every group's got to do it, it's not just the ones, you finish a game your hands team is going to be your fourteen guys, so they need to know what to do, how to lineup, and everything that goes along with it, which is a lot." 

The first preseason game will give Chiefs rookies their first taste of NFL game action, 

One of those rookies is third round pick defensive end Ashton Gillotte, whose been getting reps with both the first and second team defense.

Gillotte says getting to touch that field for the first time against the Arizona Cardinals will be a dream come true 

"I've been dreaming of this since I was a kid and God put this journey on my heart and just to be able to live it out and play at the highest level that's a privilege and an honor," Gillotte says. 

At this point, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo wants Gillotte to focus on learning defensive end but hopes during his career to be able to move him around on the defensive line.

There's a bit of a dark cloud that's been looming over Chiefs Training Camp at Missouri Western State University.  

Wide receiver Rashee Rice has been back at camp at full strength after suffering a season ending injury in week four last season.  But, after being sentenced for an offseason crash last year, Rice is awaiting punishment from the league.  

For Rice, while the league and his team sort that suspension out, there's only one thing he says he can worry about 

"All I can do is focus on what I can control right now, and that's doing what I do best right here on the field," Rice says. 

As for coming back from the injury, Rice says he feels even better than he felt during last year's camp, being able to focus on things that he hadn't focused on before during the offseason. 

The Chiefs practiced without Jared Wiley today, a new addition to the injury list.  Drue Tranquill remained out after a back injury in yesterday's practice.&nbsp; wide receivers Hollywood Brown and Skyy Moore,&nbsp; tight end Jake Briningstool, safety Deon Bush, and cornerback Kristian Fulton also remained absent from practice due to injury.

The Chiefs practiced again for just over two hours today.  They are back at practice tomorrow at 9:15, before an off day on Monday. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722794628807.jpeg" alt="Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub during the first official practice in St. Joseph during last year's training camp/ File photo" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub during the first official practice in St. Joseph during last year's training camp/ File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE With one week until their first preseason game, the Kansas City Chiefs were back at practice on Saturday continuing to prepare for the Arizona Cardinals. Ahead of the first preseason game, Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub says there's a checklist of things to prepare for, wanting to be ready for every situation "We go over it and we go over it, and we have a lot of walkthroughs in the afternoon where you don't see us working on hands team or onside kick, all those different scenarios, and there's thousands of them on special teams, we have to be sure we're on those," Toub tells reporters following practice. "And every group's got to do it, it's not just the ones, you finish a game your hands team is going to be your fourteen guys, so they need to know what to do, how to lineup, and everything that goes along with it, which is a lot." The first preseason game will give Chiefs rookies their first taste of NFL game action, One of those rookies is third round pick defensive end Ashton Gillotte, whose been getting reps with both the first and second team defense.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754163309621.jpeg" alt="Ashton Gillotte/ Photo by Justin Peacock" />
 <figcaption>Ashton Gillotte/ Photo by Justin Peacock</figcaption>
 </figure>Gillotte says getting to touch that field for the first time against the Arizona Cardinals will be a dream come true "I've been dreaming of this since I was a kid and God put this journey on my heart and just to be able to live it out and play at the highest level that's a privilege and an honor," Gillotte says. At this point, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo wants Gillotte to focus on learning defensive end but hopes during his career to be able to move him around on the defensive line.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753383787856.jpeg" alt="Rashee Rice (4) cathces a pass with coverage by linebacker Leo Chenal (54)/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Rashee Rice (4) cathces a pass with coverage by linebacker Leo Chenal (54)/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>There's a bit of a dark cloud that's been looming over Chiefs Training Camp at Missouri Western State University. Wide receiver Rashee Rice has been back at camp at full strength after suffering a season ending injury in week four last season. But, after being sentenced for an offseason crash last year, Rice is awaiting punishment from the league. For Rice, while the league and his team sort that suspension out, there's only one thing he says he can worry about "All I can do is focus on what I can control right now, and that's doing what I do best right here on the field," Rice says. As for coming back from the injury, Rice says he feels even better than he felt during last year's camp, being able to focus on things that he hadn't focused on before during the offseason. The Chiefs practiced without Jared Wiley today, a new addition to the injury list. Drue Tranquill remained out after a back injury in yesterday's practice.&nbsp; wide receivers Hollywood Brown and Skyy Moore,&nbsp; tight end Jake Briningstool, safety Deon Bush, and cornerback Kristian Fulton also remained absent from practice due to injury.The Chiefs practiced again for just over two hours today. They are back at practice tomorrow at 9:15, before an off day on Monday. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Chiefs gearing up at training camp with one week left until first preseason action

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/sauravrahman/">Saurav Rahman</a>

All eight of Missouri’s metropolitan areas experienced higher unemployment rates in June than a month before, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/metro.pdf" target="_blank">new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>&nbsp;that is not seasonally adjusted.

n comparison to a year earlier, the jobless rate also increased in all of those metro areas.

St. Joseph had the highest unemployment rate among all of the state’s metro areas in June, rising to 4.5% from 4% in May. The city’s unemployment rate was 4.2% a year before.

Columbia saw the highest monthly increase in its unemployment rate, which was 4.2% in June, up 0.7 percentage points from 3.5% in May.

Jefferson City had the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 3.7% in June.

Springfield and Kansas City had the same jobless rate in June at 4.2%, increasing from 3.7% and 3.8%, respectively, in May.

The statewide unemployment rate before seasonal adjustment in June was 4.4%, rising from 3.9% in May. The unemployment rate was 3.8% in June 2024.

Missouri’s total civilian labor force in June was 3.2 million, with about 140,946 unemployed.

This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.missouribusinessalert.com/" target="_blank">Missouri Business Alert</a>, a digital newsroom covering businessand the economy in Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659729356814.jpeg" alt="Photo Unsplash&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo Unsplash&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/sauravrahman/">Saurav Rahman</a>All eight of Missouri’s metropolitan areas experienced higher unemployment rates in June than a month before, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/metro.pdf" target="_blank">new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>&nbsp;that is not seasonally adjusted.n comparison to a year earlier, the jobless rate also increased in all of those metro areas.St. Joseph had the highest unemployment rate among all of the state’s metro areas in June, rising to 4.5% from 4% in May. The city’s unemployment rate was 4.2% a year before.Columbia saw the highest monthly increase in its unemployment rate, which was 4.2% in June, up 0.7 percentage points from 3.5% in May.Jefferson City had the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 3.7% in June.Springfield and Kansas City had the same jobless rate in June at 4.2%, increasing from 3.7% and 3.8%, respectively, in May.The statewide unemployment rate before seasonal adjustment in June was 4.4%, rising from 3.9% in May. The unemployment rate was 3.8% in June 2024.Missouri’s total civilian labor force in June was 3.2 million, with about 140,946 unemployed.This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.missouribusinessalert.com/" target="_blank">Missouri Business Alert</a>, a digital newsroom covering businessand the economy in Missouri.

All Missouri metro areas saw unemployment increases in June

This December, St. Joseph's Civic Arena will again play host to Division I women's college basketball  

"We're really fortunate and honored that we're able to host Division I women's college basketball at a time where the product is arguably as popular as it's ever been," St. Joseph Sports Commision Director Brett Esely tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  

Esely says the third annual Bill Snyder Classic will play host to the Kansas State women again, this year taking on Ole Miss of the SEC.  

Esely says the matchup is one that should draw a lot of interest 

"Just a really, really intriguing matchup anywhere, let alone here in St. Joseph, when you've got one of the Big 12's best teams taking on one of the SEC's best teams," Esely says. 

Eseley says this year's matchup will take place on Sunday, rather than Saturday, and tipoff at 2pm which is significant because this matchup could attract national attention 

"ESPN obviously has a lot of family of networks, and whereas those time windows may not be as readily available on Saturday, they could be on Sunday, and so we hope that that's the case this time around," Esely explains.  "Because the matchup sells itself, there's very little to sell with the matchup, any time you've got two teams that are likely going to be nationally ranked and two teams just with the recent history that they've had and what they did a season ago, there's going to be interest around this game." 

Esely does point out games are always streamed online typically, but that TV window for women's basketball is typically on Sunday's, which made moving a matchup like this intriguing.  

Both teams made the sweet 16 in last season's NCAA tournament, and finished the season ranked in the top 25, with Kansas State at #13 and Ole Miss at #17.   

Esely is already expecting a large crowd on hand at the arena on December 7th 

"I'll be honest, I'd be disappointed if we didn't sell this game out," Esely candidly says.  "I think the uniqueness of the event, the opponents that are playing, I would say there's a very good chance going into that game that these two teams are going to be nationally ranked, which is another huge selling point, I'd be really disappointed if this game didn't sell out, I think our tickets will be very affordably priced depending on where you want to sit in the arena." 

Tickets will go on sale this month, with an early presale for people who have purchased tickets to the two previous Bill Snyder classics. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734233150922.jpeg" alt="The Kansas State Wildcats and Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders played in the second annual Bill Snyder Women's Basketball Classic at Civic Arena/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas State Wildcats and Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders played in the second annual Bill Snyder Women's Basketball Classic at Civic Arena/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE This December, St. Joseph's Civic Arena will again play host to Division I women's college basketball "We're really fortunate and honored that we're able to host Division I women's college basketball at a time where the product is arguably as popular as it's ever been," St. Joseph Sports Commision Director Brett Esely tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. Esely says the third annual Bill Snyder Classic will play host to the Kansas State women again, this year taking on Ole Miss of the SEC. Esely says the matchup is one that should draw a lot of interest "Just a really, really intriguing matchup anywhere, let alone here in St. Joseph, when you've got one of the Big 12's best teams taking on one of the SEC's best teams," Esely says. Eseley says this year's matchup will take place on Sunday, rather than Saturday, and tipoff at 2pm which is significant because this matchup could attract national attention "ESPN obviously has a lot of family of networks, and whereas those time windows may not be as readily available on Saturday, they could be on Sunday, and so we hope that that's the case this time around," Esely explains. "Because the matchup sells itself, there's very little to sell with the matchup, any time you've got two teams that are likely going to be nationally ranked and two teams just with the recent history that they've had and what they did a season ago, there's going to be interest around this game." Esely does point out games are always streamed online typically, but that TV window for women's basketball is typically on Sunday's, which made moving a matchup like this intriguing. Both teams made the sweet 16 in last season's NCAA tournament, and finished the season ranked in the top 25, with Kansas State at #13 and Ole Miss at #17. Esely is already expecting a large crowd on hand at the arena on December 7th "I'll be honest, I'd be disappointed if we didn't sell this game out," Esely candidly says. "I think the uniqueness of the event, the opponents that are playing, I would say there's a very good chance going into that game that these two teams are going to be nationally ranked, which is another huge selling point, I'd be really disappointed if this game didn't sell out, I think our tickets will be very affordably priced depending on where you want to sit in the arena." Tickets will go on sale this month, with an early presale for people who have purchased tickets to the two previous Bill Snyder classics. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753981987157.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of St. Joseph Sports Commision" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of St. Joseph Sports Commision</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Third annual Bill Snyder Classic brings intriguing matchup to Civic Arena

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest in Atchison.

Just before 6:30p.m. on Thursday officers responded to a residence in the 1100 block South 7th Street to investigate an unwanted person at the residence, according to Police Mike Wilson.

Once at the scene officers found the resident outside of the home who told police he arrived home to see a man identified as 36-year-old Joshua R. Morgan at the back of his residence.&nbsp; The resident knows Morgan.

It was determined that entry had been made into the residence and police searched the residence and found Morgan hiding in a closet. He was taken into custody on requested charges of burglary, attempted theft, and criminal damage to property

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754058456279.png" alt="Morgan-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Morgan-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest in Atchison.Just before 6:30p.m. on Thursday officers responded to a residence in the 1100 block South 7th Street to investigate an unwanted person at the residence, according to Police Mike Wilson.Once at the scene officers found the resident outside of the home who told police he arrived home to see a man identified as 36-year-old Joshua R. Morgan at the back of his residence.&nbsp; The resident knows Morgan.It was determined that entry had been made into the residence and police searched the residence and found Morgan hiding in a closet. He was taken into custody on requested charges of burglary, attempted theft, and criminal damage to property

Kansas burglary suspect found hiding in a closet

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August Quiz Corner

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/noahgrabianski/">Noah Grabianski</a>

Cattle farms and feedlots in Missouri today are populated by cows that are a far cry from those that roamed pastures 80 or 90 years ago.

Cattle back then were referred to as “buckle cows” – named that way because they only went about as high as a rancher’s belt buckle. But in the 1950s, when cattle herd numbers were low, cattlemen began putting more emphasis on cows’ “frame size,” or their height.

In the past few decades, with improvements in genetic technology, farmers have been able to measure extremely specific qualities in their cattle. This has led to a shift from increasing the frame size of cattle to increasing the “performance,” or weight, of cattle. That means cattle aren’t getting taller, but heavier.

The U.S. cattle inventory&nbsp;<a href="https://downloads.usda.library.cornell.edu/usda-esmis/files/h702q636h/6108x003v/kk91h696g/catl0124.pdf" target="_blank">hit its lowest level in 73 years</a>&nbsp;in 2024,&nbsp;largely as a result of recent droughts. The solution isn’t as simple as just breeding more cows, because cattle producers have to balance the amount of cattle they hold back to reproduce, and the amount they sell off to feedyards to generate revenue.

Don Close, a senior animal protein analyst at agriculture publication Terrain Ag, said the industry has been shifting breeding practices to mitigate the recent cattle shortage.

“Being the lowest we’ve been since 1951, the industry has elected to make cattle bigger, to compensate in pounds what we’re losing in head count,” Close said.

Close estimated that the average live weight of U.S. cattle increases by about eight pounds a year. The carcass weight, or how much cattle weigh once the hide, bone and other inedible parts are removed, increases by about five pounds a year.

But there has been a particularly noticeable spike in the past decade or so, caused by incentives from meatpacking plants.

This trend can be seen through what’s known as the hot carcass weight discount, which is the payout reduction cattle producers receive when carcasses exceed a meatpacking plant’s maximum weight. As a result, producers try to get their cattle as close to that weight limit as possible without exceeding it.

Jamie Courter, the state beef genetics specialist at University of Missouri Extension, said that when she first started in the industry about 10 years ago, that weight limit was 1,000 pounds. It’s been creeping up ever since. The limit went up to 1,050 pounds, then 1,100, and now some plants have improved their technology enough to accept 1,200-pound carcasses.

“We keep pushing what we’re willing to accept, as far as size of feedyard steers, higher and higher,” Courter said. “The packers are incentivizing the feedyards and the commercial cattlemen to do so, and — right, wrong or indifferent — commercial cattlemen are going to chase that incentive because that impacts their bottom line.”

Higher cattle weights also have an effect on consumers down the line. Certain beef cuts, namely ribeye and loin, are getting too big to be easily packaged. Because the cows are bigger, these cuts are larger, meaning they have to be cut thinner and with more surface area than they used to be to maintain a consistent weight.

But Close said these high cattle weights are, in large part, a good thing for beef consumers.

“If we were to limit weights on the cattle, it would limit the total of beef production, limiting supply, that would drive price higher,” Close said. “So in a backwards kind of way, yes, it’s actually supporting … consumers, because it keeps more product available to the counter.”

Beef is getting more expensive, with the average price of ground beef hitting a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalbeefwire.com/beef-prices-soar-to-record-highs-in-june" target="_blank">record high of $6.12 per pound</a>&nbsp;in June. However, bigger cows also means better quality. Bigger size leads to higher fat content and better marbling. Close estimated that 82% to 84% of all beef is of choice or prime grade, which lines up with consumer tastes.

However, researchers and cattle producers have said the current trajectory of beef performance isn’t sustainable. Courter said it’s important to consider the economic factors of farming cattle when trying to breed for size.

“We can’t have 2,000-pound mature-weight cows, because those cows eat more, which means you need more acres to raise that cow in a year,” Courter said. “Which means, if you don’t buy more land, you have to decrease the number of cows you have, or you have to increase how much hay or corn or whatever you’re buying to sustain that 2,000-pound cow.”

Doug Frank, co-owner of the Frank/Hazelrigg Cattle Co., said that cattle performance is reaching a threshold. In recent years, this has led farmers to start analyzing other significant traits.

“Maintenance costs are going up, and maybe we’re past the point of the most efficiency there,” Frank said. “We’re probably at the limit of what our commercial customers have for resources, and we’re a lot more interested in other traits.”

Where farmers used to look towards breeding for weight, some are now beginning to place importance in feeding efficiency. Farmers are tracking relative feed intake, which measures how much weight a cow gains from a certain amount of feed. Those that need less food to gain weight are more profitable for farmers.

Cattle performance may be starting to even out, but Frank highlighted the industry’s ability to continue delivering product, even during a downturn in inventory.

“Beef is not cheap today, but … we’ve increased production pretty substantially in the U.S. beef industry,” Frank said, “and we’ve done it with the lowest cow numbers that we’ve had in (decades).”

This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.missouribusinessalert.com/" target="_blank">Missouri&nbsp;Business&nbsp;Alert</a>, a digital newsroom covering&nbsp;businessand the economy in&nbsp;Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753957064006.png" alt=" Cows are pictured at the University of Missouri South Farm. Cattle weight may be approaching a tipping point, experts say (Noah Grabianski/Missouri Business Alert)" />
 <figcaption> Cows are pictured at the University of Missouri South Farm. Cattle weight may be approaching a tipping point, experts say (Noah Grabianski/Missouri Business Alert)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/noahgrabianski/">Noah Grabianski</a>Cattle farms and feedlots in Missouri today are populated by cows that are a far cry from those that roamed pastures 80 or 90 years ago.Cattle back then were referred to as “buckle cows” – named that way because they only went about as high as a rancher’s belt buckle. But in the 1950s, when cattle herd numbers were low, cattlemen began putting more emphasis on cows’ “frame size,” or their height.In the past few decades, with improvements in genetic technology, farmers have been able to measure extremely specific qualities in their cattle. This has led to a shift from increasing the frame size of cattle to increasing the “performance,” or weight, of cattle. That means cattle aren’t getting taller, but heavier.The U.S. cattle inventory&nbsp;<a href="https://downloads.usda.library.cornell.edu/usda-esmis/files/h702q636h/6108x003v/kk91h696g/catl0124.pdf" target="_blank">hit its lowest level in 73 years</a>&nbsp;in 2024,&nbsp;largely as a result of recent droughts. The solution isn’t as simple as just breeding more cows, because cattle producers have to balance the amount of cattle they hold back to reproduce, and the amount they sell off to feedyards to generate revenue.Don Close, a senior animal protein analyst at agriculture publication Terrain Ag, said the industry has been shifting breeding practices to mitigate the recent cattle shortage.“Being the lowest we’ve been since 1951, the industry has elected to make cattle bigger, to compensate in pounds what we’re losing in head count,” Close said.Close estimated that the average live weight of U.S. cattle increases by about eight pounds a year. The carcass weight, or how much cattle weigh once the hide, bone and other inedible parts are removed, increases by about five pounds a year.But there has been a particularly noticeable spike in the past decade or so, caused by incentives from meatpacking plants.This trend can be seen through what’s known as the hot carcass weight discount, which is the payout reduction cattle producers receive when carcasses exceed a meatpacking plant’s maximum weight. As a result, producers try to get their cattle as close to that weight limit as possible without exceeding it.Jamie Courter, the state beef genetics specialist at University of Missouri Extension, said that when she first started in the industry about 10 years ago, that weight limit was 1,000 pounds. It’s been creeping up ever since. The limit went up to 1,050 pounds, then 1,100, and now some plants have improved their technology enough to accept 1,200-pound carcasses.“We keep pushing what we’re willing to accept, as far as size of feedyard steers, higher and higher,” Courter said. “The packers are incentivizing the feedyards and the commercial cattlemen to do so, and — right, wrong or indifferent — commercial cattlemen are going to chase that incentive because that impacts their bottom line.”Higher cattle weights also have an effect on consumers down the line. Certain beef cuts, namely ribeye and loin, are getting too big to be easily packaged. Because the cows are bigger, these cuts are larger, meaning they have to be cut thinner and with more surface area than they used to be to maintain a consistent weight.But Close said these high cattle weights are, in large part, a good thing for beef consumers.“If we were to limit weights on the cattle, it would limit the total of beef production, limiting supply, that would drive price higher,” Close said. “So in a backwards kind of way, yes, it’s actually supporting … consumers, because it keeps more product available to the counter.”Beef is getting more expensive, with the average price of ground beef hitting a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalbeefwire.com/beef-prices-soar-to-record-highs-in-june" target="_blank">record high of $6.12 per pound</a>&nbsp;in June. However, bigger cows also means better quality. Bigger size leads to higher fat content and better marbling. Close estimated that 82% to 84% of all beef is of choice or prime grade, which lines up with consumer tastes.However, researchers and cattle producers have said the current trajectory of beef performance isn’t sustainable. Courter said it’s important to consider the economic factors of farming cattle when trying to breed for size.“We can’t have 2,000-pound mature-weight cows, because those cows eat more, which means you need more acres to raise that cow in a year,” Courter said. “Which means, if you don’t buy more land, you have to decrease the number of cows you have, or you have to increase how much hay or corn or whatever you’re buying to sustain that 2,000-pound cow.”Doug Frank, co-owner of the Frank/Hazelrigg Cattle Co., said that cattle performance is reaching a threshold. In recent years, this has led farmers to start analyzing other significant traits.“Maintenance costs are going up, and maybe we’re past the point of the most efficiency there,” Frank said. “We’re probably at the limit of what our commercial customers have for resources, and we’re a lot more interested in other traits.”Where farmers used to look towards breeding for weight, some are now beginning to place importance in feeding efficiency. Farmers are tracking relative feed intake, which measures how much weight a cow gains from a certain amount of feed. Those that need less food to gain weight are more profitable for farmers.Cattle performance may be starting to even out, but Frank highlighted the industry’s ability to continue delivering product, even during a downturn in inventory.“Beef is not cheap today, but … we’ve increased production pretty substantially in the U.S. beef industry,” Frank said, “and we’ve done it with the lowest cow numbers that we’ve had in (decades).”This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.missouribusinessalert.com/" target="_blank">Missouri&nbsp;Business&nbsp;Alert</a>, a digital newsroom covering&nbsp;businessand the economy in&nbsp;Missouri.

Thinning herd, heavier cattle reshape Missouri’s beef supply chain

It was a lighter day at practice for the Kansas City Chiefs after three consecutive days of padded practices in the heat, with cooler temperatures today as well. 

Back at full strength in this year's camp has been defensive end Charles Omenihu.  Injuries have limited Omenihu during his time with the Chiefs, but for the first time in Kansas City, he'll be on the field in week one. 

For Omenihu, he says it will be exciting to be able to be on the field week one.

"It is going to be the first time I play in Week 1 since my fourth year in the league. So, I have definitely, these last two years have understood the fact of not taking things for granted. Understood the fact that you got to cherish everything in this game. Because I have been on the end where you’ve had to sit and wait for different reasons," Omenihu tells reporters. "So, I’ll be excited, I’ll be geeked (and) I’ll be ready to rock and ready to go help us get a win.”

Omenihu had just one sack in six games for the Chiefs last year, first hitting the field in week 13. 

With a very young receiving group, when asked who the leader in that room is, Head Coach Andy Reid quickly said it was ninth year receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. 

Smith-Schuster says that's a responsiblility he does not take lightly

"We’ve got a bunch of young guys in the room, different ages; and you know, for me it’s a big responsibility,"  Smith-Schuster says. "I take full control. I think I lead by, you know, not just by my words, but by my actions. And, you know, like I said there’s a lot of guys, a lot of experience, different ages, and everyone’s coachable, so, you know, I’m glad to take (on) that responsibility.”

After returning to practice yesterday (Tues), Xavier Worthy was out of practice today, and it was reported he is in concussion protocol, putting the Chiefs down three receivers with injuries to Skyy Moore and Hollywood Brown

The Chiefs are getting a little break after a tough stretch of practices, with three straight days of padded practices in pretty extreme heats. 

Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo says he felt like the team held up pretty well through that tough stretch

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753903544787.jpeg" alt="JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) warms up before a lighter 10-10-10 practice alongside Nikki Remigio (81) and Jason Brownlee (89)/ Photo by Justin Peacock" />
 <figcaption>JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) warms up before a lighter 10-10-10 practice alongside Nikki Remigio (81) and Jason Brownlee (89)/ Photo by Justin Peacock</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKEIt was a lighter day at practice for the Kansas City Chiefs after three consecutive days of padded practices in the heat, with cooler temperatures today as well. Back at full strength in this year's camp has been defensive end Charles Omenihu. Injuries have limited Omenihu during his time with the Chiefs, but for the first time in Kansas City, he'll be on the field in week one. For Omenihu, he says it will be exciting to be able to be on the field week one."It is going to be the first time I play in Week 1 since my fourth year in the league. So, I have definitely, these last two years have understood the fact of not taking things for granted. Understood the fact that you got to cherish everything in this game. Because I have been on the end where you’ve had to sit and wait for different reasons," Omenihu tells reporters. "So, I’ll be excited, I’ll be geeked (and) I’ll be ready to rock and ready to go help us get a win.”Omenihu had just one sack in six games for the Chiefs last year, first hitting the field in week 13. With a very young receiving group, when asked who the leader in that room is, Head Coach Andy Reid quickly said it was ninth year receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Smith-Schuster says that's a responsiblility he does not take lightly"We’ve got a bunch of young guys in the room, different ages; and you know, for me it’s a big responsibility," Smith-Schuster says. "I take full control. I think I lead by, you know, not just by my words, but by my actions. And, you know, like I said there’s a lot of guys, a lot of experience, different ages, and everyone’s coachable, so, you know, I’m glad to take (on) that responsibility.”After returning to practice yesterday (Tues), Xavier Worthy was out of practice today, and it was reported he is in concussion protocol, putting the Chiefs down three receivers with injuries to Skyy Moore and Hollywood BrownThe Chiefs are getting a little break after a tough stretch of practices, with three straight days of padded practices in pretty extreme heats. Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo says he felt like the team held up pretty well through that tough stretch"What will be really interesting to me, you know, we had the three hard days, we had today was 10-10-10 – we get the day off. The tough day to come back is the next one, you know after you’ve had the day off so I’m looking for them – if we can ramp it up on that day, I’ll be pretty happy," Spagnuolo says.The “10-10-10” specifically refers to the team cycling through 10 offensive plays, 10 defensive plays and 10 minutes of special teams work during the duration of the practice session. The Chiefs practiced for an hour and a half. They are off tomorrow and will practice again on Friday at 9:15.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753903613835.jpeg" alt="Charles Omenihu (90) walks down the hill with rookie Ashton Gillotte (97) for practice on Wednesday/ Photo by Justin Peacock" />
 <figcaption>Charles Omenihu (90) walks down the hill with rookie Ashton Gillotte (97) for practice on Wednesday/ Photo by Justin Peacock</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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